PSBC Archives - SustainCase - Sustainability Magazine Insights on how you can protect the environment, maintain and increase the value of your company, through a structured CSR/Sustainability process with the use of the GRI Standards. Learn how Today's Best-Run Companies are achieving Economic, Social, and Environmental Success - and How You Can Too... Wed, 28 Jan 2026 06:50:05 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.3 Case study: How PSBC identifies and works on strategic business opportunities to increase positive and reduce negative impacts https://sustaincase.com/case-study-how-psbc-identifies-and-works-on-strategic-business-opportunities/ Wed, 28 Jan 2026 06:48:55 +0000 https://sustaincase.com/?p=21792 As a prominent retail bank in China, Postal Savings Bank of China (PSBC) remains committed to serving Sannong customers, urban and rural residents, and SMEs. Leveraging its distinctive model and resource advantages, including directly-operated and agency outlets, it focuses on delivering services to the most vibrant customer segments that fuel China’s economic development. The bank operates nearly 40,000 outlets and has provided services to over 670 million individual customers. This case study is based on the 2025 Interim Environmental Information (Sustainable Finance) Report by PSBC prepared in relation to its implementation of the PRB, that can be found at this link. […]

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]]> As a prominent retail bank in China, Postal Savings Bank of China (PSBC) remains committed to serving Sannong customers, urban and rural residents, and SMEs. Leveraging its distinctive model and resource advantages, including directly-operated and agency outlets, it focuses on delivering services to the most vibrant customer segments that fuel China’s economic development. The bank operates nearly 40,000 outlets and has provided services to over 670 million individual customers. PSBC is a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB) and is, accordingly, identifying and working on strategic business opportunities to increase positive and reduce negative impacts.  Tweet This!

This case study is based on the 2025 Interim Environmental Information (Sustainable Finance) Report by PSBC prepared in relation to its implementation of the PRB, that can be found at this link. Through all case studies we aim to demonstrate what ESG/ sustainability reporting done responsibly means. Essentially, it means: a) identifying a company’s most important impacts on the environment, economy and society, and b) measuring, managing and changing.

Layout 1

Which Principles for Responsible Banking have been addressed?

The Principles for Responsible Banking addressed in this case are:

Stakeholder identification and consultation

Please describe which stakeholders (or groups/ types of stakeholders) you have identified, consulted, engaged, collaborated or partnered with for the purpose of implementing the Principles and improving your bank’s impacts. This should include a high-level overview of how your bank has identified relevant stakeholders, what issues were addressed/results achieved and how they fed into the action planning process.

PSBC maintains ongoing communication with its stakeholders through both formal and informal channels, including the collection of policy documents, working meetings, daily interactions, and special reports. Stakeholders encompass government and regulatory agencies, shareholders and investors, employees at all levels within the bank, customers, suppliers, financial peers and industry associations, domestic and international organizations promoting sustainable development, and professional institutions.

How did PSBC identify and work on strategic business opportunities to increase positive and reduce negative impacts?

In its 2025 Interim Environmental Information (Sustainable Finance) Report PSBC reports that it identified and worked on strategic business opportunities to increase positive and reduce negative impacts as follows:

Building on innovative products centred around “carbon emission reduction information,” PSBC has introduced offerings such as personal carbon emission reduction redemption, carbon reduction loans, and corporate ecological credit loans. To assist enterprises in achieving green transformation and sustainable development, as well as to explore carbon account asset innovation, PSBC launched carbon reduction loans aimed at directing funds toward energy-saving and emission-reduction companies and supporting carbon reduction goals. PSBC’s Shenzhen Branch successfully launched the bank’s first carbon reduction loan, linking interest rates to enterprises’ carbon ratings and carbon reduction performance. This loan was priced at 110 basis points below the reference rate, actively aiding enterprises’ green and low-carbon transition.

PSBC places great importance on blue finance, continuously advancing this sector through organizational restructuring and innovative business initiatives. In 2023, the bank signed the UN Sustainable Blue Economy Finance Initiative, becoming the first major state-owned commercial bank in China to do so. Regarding product development, PSBC launched Jiangsu Province’s first “Shellfish Marine Blue Carbon Sink Loan – Clam Loan.” The PSBC Dafeng Sub-branch in Yancheng City granted a one-year, RMB 10 million loan to Jiangsu Haiyue Industry Co., Ltd., specifically for purchasing clam fry. This product leverages the carbon sink potential of mudflats. In the marine shellfish breeding sector, it creatively aligns financial services with the theme of “realizing the value of marine ecological products” and emphasizes “carbon sinks.” By using the annual carbon reduction and sequestration income rights generated by clam aquaculture as supplementary collateral and credit enhancement, the product effectively addresses collateral shortages faced by marine aquaculture loans, establishing a green channel for financial support to help realize the value of marine shellfish ecological products.

 

UN Principles for Responsible Banking: Accelerating a positive global transition for people and the planet

With over 300 signatory banks representing almost half of the global banking industry, the Principles for Responsible Banking are the world’s foremost sustainable banking framework. Through these Principles, the banking community takes action to align core strategies, decision-making, lending and investment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and international agreements such as the Paris Climate Agreement.

FBRH Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB) Assurance:

First class PRB assurance services: The result of solid, hands-on ESG/ Sustainability experience

      • FBRH is a GRI Certified Training Partner (Global), ISEP Training Centre and a member of CPD.
      • FBRH builds trust. Over 200 reviews from top professionals from around the world demonstrate our ability to build strong, trusting business relationships.
      • FBRH possesses a unique skill set that combines ESG/sustainability certified training, experience in advisory services and report preparation, and ESG/sustainability report assurance.

The combination of all the above empowers FBRH to provide first class Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB) assurance services.

 

References:

This case study is based on published information by PSBC, located at the link below. For the sake of readability, we did not use brackets or ellipses. However, we made sure that the extra or missing words did not change the report’s meaning. If you would like to quote these written sources from the original please revert to the following link:

https://www.psbc.com/en/investor_relations/social_responsibility/202509/P020250903548896602757.pdf

Note to PSBC: With each case study we send out an email requesting a comment on this case study. If you have not received such an email please contact us.

The post Case study: How PSBC identifies and works on strategic business opportunities to increase positive and reduce negative impacts appeared first on SustainCase - Sustainability Magazine.

]]> Case study: How PSBC works with its clients and customers to encourage sustainable practices https://sustaincase.com/case-study-how-psbc-works-with-clients-and-customers-to-encourage-sustainable-practices/ Tue, 22 Oct 2024 05:53:15 +0000 https://sustaincase.com/?p=19808 The Postal Savings Bank of China (PSBC) is a prominent retail bank in China. It operates a vast network of nearly 40,000 outlets, comprising both directly-operated and agency outlets. This extensive network spans approximately 99% of the country’s counties, with 70% of these outlets located in areas at and below the county level. This case study is based on the 2023 Environmental Information Disclosure (Green Finance) Report by PSBC, prepared in relation to its implementation of the PRB, that can be found at this link. Through all case studies we aim to demonstrate what ESG/ sustainability reporting done responsibly means. Essentially, […]

The post Case study: How PSBC works with its clients and customers to encourage sustainable practices appeared first on SustainCase - Sustainability Magazine.

]]> The Postal Savings Bank of China (PSBC) is a prominent retail bank in China. It operates a vast network of nearly 40,000 outlets, comprising both directly-operated and agency outlets. This extensive network spans approximately 99% of the country’s counties, with 70% of these outlets located in areas at and below the county level. PSBC is a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB) and is, accordingly, working with its clients and customers to encourage sustainable practices and enable sustainable economic activities.  Tweet This!

This case study is based on the 2023 Environmental Information Disclosure (Green Finance) Report by PSBC, prepared in relation to its implementation of the PRB, that can be found at this link. Through all case studies we aim to demonstrate what ESG/ sustainability reporting done responsibly means. Essentially, it means: a) identifying a company’s most important impacts on the environment, economy and society, and b) measuring, managing and changing.

Layout 1

Which Principles for Responsible Banking have been addressed?

The Principles for Responsible Banking addressed in this case are:

Stakeholder identification and consultation

Please describe which stakeholders (or groups/ types of stakeholders) you have identified, consulted, engaged, collaborated or partnered with for the purpose of implementing the Principles and improving your bank’s impacts. This should include a high-level overview of how your bank has identified relevant stakeholders, what issues were addressed/results achieved and how they fed into the action planning process.

In 2023, PSBC maintained engagement with its stakeholders via both formal and informal methods, including daily interactions, policy document reviews, working meetings, and special reports. These stakeholders encompassed government and regulatory bodies, shareholders and investors, employees across all levels of the Bank, customers, suppliers, financial peers and industry associations, as well as domestic and international sustainable development advocacy groups and professional organizations.

How did PSBC work with its clients and customers to encourage sustainable practices and enable sustainable economic activities?

In its 2023 Environmental Information Disclosure (Green Finance) Report PSBC reports that it works with its clients and customers to encourage sustainable practices and enable sustainable economic activities as follows:

Regarding green finance:
PSBC has been proactively advancing carbon accounting for corporate clients, focusing on those without mandatory environmental information disclosure. It offers real-time online greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions accounting for businesses. By the end of 2023, the bank had completed carbon accounting for 4,067 corporate clients, with 1,885 new clients added during the year, representing an 86.39% increase. PSBC also promoted sustainability-linked financial products and issued China’s first “just-transition loan,” with part of the funds allocated for rotation training and operational qualification training for employees related to low-carbon transition and development. PSBC also launched the first “carbon emission reduction facility + sustainability-linked + e-CNY loan” loan business in the country. The loan links the loan interest rate to the newly installed capacity of renewable energy power generation by the borrower during the agreed period, to encourage voluntary emission reductions. Additionally, PSBC launched the personal carbon account in the low-carbon zone of its mobile banking app, recording the account holder’ s daily low-carbon behaviour and encouraging customers to adopt eco-friendly and low-carbon lifestyles. In supply chain management, PSBC requires suppliers to sign and adhere to the Energy Conservation, Emissions Reduction, and Green Development Agreement, promoting shared corporate social responsibility (CSR) for green practices and environmental protection.

Regarding inclusive finance:
PSBC initiated a pilot project to realize the value of ecological products through financial services. It introduced the “Eco-credit Loan,” a pure credit loan for rural households, based on the local “Green Valley Points,” to facilitate the sustainable development of both the gross ecosystem product (GEP) and regional GDP. PSBC also implemented the carbon credit evaluation pilot system, the first in China, to provide targeted inclusive financial service tools for micro and small enterprises (MSEs), using the carbon credit rating results as a criterion for business approval in Zhejiang.

 

UN Principles for Responsible Banking: Accelerating a positive global transition for people and the planet

With over 300 signatory banks representing almost half of the global banking industry, the Principles for Responsible Banking are the world’s foremost sustainable banking framework. Through these Principles, the banking community takes action to align core strategies, decision-making, lending and investment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and international agreements such as the Paris Climate Agreement.

FBRH Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB) Assurance:

First class PRB assurance services: The result of solid, hands-on ESG/ Sustainability experience

      • FBRH is a GRI Certified Training Partner (Global), ISEP Training Centre and a member of CPD.
      • FBRH builds trust. Over 200 reviews from top professionals from around the world demonstrate our ability to build strong, trusting business relationships.
      • FBRH possesses a unique skill set that combines ESG/sustainability certified training, experience in advisory services and report preparation, and ESG/sustainability report assurance.

The combination of all the above empowers FBRH to provide first class Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB) assurance services.

 

References:

This case study is based on published information by PSBC, located at the link below. For the sake of readability, we did not use brackets or ellipses. However, we made sure that the extra or missing words did not change the report’s meaning. If you would like to quote these written sources from the original please revert to the following link:

https://www.psbc.com/en/investor_relations/social_responsibility/202406/P020240618567910201296.pdf

Note to PSBC: With each case study we send out an email requesting a comment on this case study. If you have not received such an email please contact us.

The post Case study: How PSBC works with its clients and customers to encourage sustainable practices appeared first on SustainCase - Sustainability Magazine.

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